


Old Soldier and Spy

by Crowoxy



Series: Platonic Paladins and Aliens [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Comfort, Family, Gen, Platonic Relationships, The Paladins finally show, he needs a nap, kolivan is trying is his best, lotor is tired, or like several
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-29 14:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12632844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crowoxy/pseuds/Crowoxy
Summary: Kolivan is the old spy who watches all of these young children grow into this war that’s been happening for ten thousand years.Day 5 of the Platonic VLD Week: Growth





	Old Soldier and Spy

**Author's Note:**

> This did not end up the way I thought it would. But hey! The Paladins finally showed up a little bit. 
> 
> Also, this was entirely written on my phone and posted on my phone so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.

Kolivan has been in the field for far longer than anyone else in the Blade of Marmora. Before joining the Blades, he had been a grunt foot soldier in the Galran Air Force, so really he had been fighting for just too damn long.

  
It didn’t help that the mortality rate of the missions once Voltron started joining the fight escalated, leaving Kolivan with his least favorite duty of being a leader: saying goodbye to the fallen warriors.   
The formation of the Voltron Coalition had been a good move, publicly because it added entire systems to the fight instead of just a handful of disillusioned Galra soldiers and scattered rebel fighters. But it made it harder on the agents sneaking around prime locations for intel due to the rise of security.

  
The Galra Empire hadn’t been in power for so long by being stupid, of course they would figure out that the rebels were getting their intel from their bases, even if they couldn’t figure out how. Yet, at any rate. Kolivan was expecting them to catch on very soon.

  
Especially after the major loss of Naxzela and subsequently, the entire sector. The Empire would be fools to not launch a counterattack against them.

  
But first came the matter of their new guest.

  
Princess Allura has informed the entire coalition that she had decided to bring Prince Lotor aboard her ship for questioning. The news had received with mixed results, the nay-sayers loudly crying for Lotor’s demise to send a message to his father until the representative from planet Puig proclaimed that they would be willing to listen to the Prince, even after his takeover of his planet.

  
“The Prince has ample opportunity to kill the citizens of Puig, but once he had left with his Generals, the worst injuries after his attack were a few bruised backs.” He had explained. It didn’t change most minds, but it did quiet the masses, much to Kolivan’s relief.

  
Kolivan had put in a request to speak with Prince Lotor and Princess Allura had granted it. It said a lot about a person who had been so unwilling to trust him due to his species, now trust him explicitly to be left alone with the son of their greatest enemy.

  
Younglings continued to surprise him with how quickly they adapted. And speaking of younglings…

  
“Kolivan!” Keith, a Paladin of Voltron and member of the Blade of Marmora, came stalking down the hallway of the Altean’s ship, fists clenched at his side. “Lotor is on board, this is our chance to get information out of him!”

  
“Keith, have you seen your teammates yet?” Kolivan placed his hands on Keith’s shoulders, glad his mask was off his face.

  
“What does that have to do with anything?” Keith said hotly, but Kolivan could feel his shoulders trembling beneath his fingers.

  
“Keith,” Kolivan said softly, “You nearly died today trying to save everyone. I know you weren’t thinking about it at the time, but deciding to fly straight into a battle cruiser is not as easy to dismiss if you survive.”

  
“How did you know?” Keith’s eyes had grown wide and his voice was hoarse.

  
“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” Kolivan kept his voice light, with no accusations. “Go. I’m sure your team misses you greatly.”

  
“But I-“

  
“Go Keith,” Kolivan gave him a small push. “You’ve earned a break after this victory.”

  
Kolivan was subjugated to one last watery stare before Keith headed back down the hallway. Kolivan would have to thank the green paladin’s older brother for informing him about Keith’s suicide rush.

  
“Kolivan,” Allura’s voice sounded staticky over his coms; he may need to replace them soon. “You’re free to visit Lotor in his room. I advise you do so quickly.”

  
“You’ve finished your talks with him, then?”

  
“Coran and I both spoke with him, yes.” Allura sighed. “As we thought, he is willing to give up information for sanctuary but I am not sure how accurate or truthful his information will be.”

  
“Whatever he tells you, I can have some of my agents verify it.” Kolivan had already started planning for this situation, the moment he heard Lotor request a meeting with the coalition. “I’ll go see him now then.”

  
“Good luck,” Allura said dryly, “I hope he doesn’t cause you as much frustration as he did me.”

  
For those Galra who knew of the Prince, secretive as he was by nature and by his parents, they all knew that Lotor strives to make himself be as frustrating as possible, especially to those who hold positions that he only technically outranks by virtue of his birth. Kolivan was one such Galra who knew this, not because he ever came close to the prince’s tank while still hiding in the military, but because he had met the Prince when he had still been nothing but a cub, recently exiled and struggling to find his feet.

  
Kolivan felt old. 

  
Lotor had been given a room in the back of the ship, far away from all the occupied rooms. Allura may have allowed him entrance on her ship, but she didn’t trust him not to harm her home. Kolivan commended her for her foresight as he knocked on the door.

  
“Anyone is free to come in, I do not think I have a choice in that regard.”

  
“You’re free to do what you wish, Prince Lotor,” Kolivan said as he pressed the release for the door and stepped inside.

  
On the communications channel, Lotor sounded confident, at ease with the situation of the entire Galra Empire now aiming for the target on his back.

  
He didn’t look confident; oh he tried, Kolivan could see that. Could see how Lotor had his back impeccably straight and his head held high with a charming smile already in place. But Kolivan had learned to notice the little details, to observe how for all of Lotor’s ease, he never placed any pressure on his arms, even as they rested on the table he sat at. Kolivan saw the bags gathered under Lotor’s eyes and the utter weariness he tried to mask. Kolivan did not say that he noticed any of the weaknesses to the Prince.

  
“I must say, the last thing I was expecting was to see another Galra on board.” Lotor was studying Kolivan with as much intensity as he had studied Lotor. Kolivan wondered what Lotor had deduced from his own evaluation.

  
“There’s actually quite a few of us on board, Prince Lotor.” Kolivan dipped his head.

  
“Please, I do not hold that title any longer. Just Lotor is fine.” Lotor tilted his head, peering up at Kolivan. Younglings these days certainly did enjoy their staring. “I don’t wish to presume, but you seem very familiar. You wouldn’t happen to be Thace would you? Or know who he was?”

  
“You have a good memory, Lotor. I wouldn’t have expected you to remember.”

  
“Of course, Planet Calum quite a few decaphoebs ago.” Lotor nodded. “Kolivan, then?” He asked a moment after closing his eyes.

  
Kolivan nodded. “You’ve grown a bit taller since.”

  
“I think I’ve changed quite a bit more than just height.” Lotor didn’t relax, per se, but he did seem more at ease. Good. Kolivan had gone in expecting Lotor didn’t remember when Thace and Kolivan had found him, nearly half starved and skittish on Calum, when they had a campaign for air support on the surface. Lotor knowing who he was meant introductions could be skipped.

  
“Where is Thace?” Kolivan wishes he could still feel grief whenever he would get asked this question. Wished he wasn’t used to telling others that their loved ones, friends, family, were gone. But it was his duty, and his alone.

  
“Thace is dead.”

  
“I see.” Lotor did not say anything for a while after that and Kolivan waited patiently for Lotor to continue the conversation. Nearly a quarter Varga had gone by before Lotor did.

  
“I still do not understand why you are here,” He finally said, “I have nothing else I can tell you that I haven’t already told the Altean Princess.”

  
“You have traveled a fair amount, Lotor. In all that time, did you ever run into or hear of a group called the Blade of Marmora?” Kolivan watched Lotor’s face carefully.

  
“I had heard whispers of a rebel group opposing the Empire made up entirely of Galra,” Lotor said slowly, “I wasn’t aware of what their name was or their purpose.”   
Though Lotor had an impressive poker face, Kolivan could sense he was telling the truth. Being honest about not knowing something must be grating on his pride; there had been so many agents who faked having knowledge that they didn’t possess, all for the sake of their ego. They learned, eventually.

  
“The Blade of Marmora specializes in intel gathering,” Kolivan informed Lotor. “We do a number of reconnaissance missions and have contacts galaxy wide that inform us of any news they find potentially interesting.”

  
“And you want me to join this Blade of Marmora?”

  
Kolivan shook his head. “Not yet.”   
Lotor bristled. “Why not? I would be a valuable asset and yet you throw me away? What is the point of this conversation then?”

  
“The point, Lotor, is that you are exhausted. You nearly burned yourself alive trying to escape Zarkon on an unstable star.” Lotor winced. “Your faithful team of generals are no longer with you, so either they’ve managed to all perish or you left them.” Blade of Marmora reports indicated that Lotor had hardly ever been seen without one or all of his generals, whenever he appeared in public. A chance encounter showed that it was the generals who usually refused to leave his side, especially the one with a cat constantly on her shoulders.

  
Lotor didn’t reply, and seemed to draw into himself. Kolivan knew the only reason Lotor hadn’t snapped back, hadn’t demanded that Kolivan leave the room, was because he was hanging by a thread, trying to keep himself together in the midst of a group that two days ago, was all for getting him out of the picture.

  
“Lotor, what I am offering is to listen.”

  
Before, when Thace had whispered this gently to a traumatized cub who had seemingly just lost home forever, Lotor had sniffed a little and spoken with Thace about his fears.

  
Now, Lotor just looked at him with wide eyes, almost in disbelief.

  
“How did you know?” Lotor’s voice cracked and Kolivan heard all of the unasked questions. How did you know about my generals? How did you know about my father chasing me into a burning sun? How did you know what Thace had told me all those decaphoebs ago?

  
“You know, someone else just asked me that before I came to see you. I’ll tell you what I essentially told him.” Kolivan turned to leave the room, palming the keypad to open the door. “It’s my job. I tend to know everything.”

  
Outside the door, Kolivan stopped, ears cocked but hearing nothing from Lotor inside the room. He had a duty to these younglings to see them grow and secure the future. Old soldiers and spies such as himself couldn’t much more than that


End file.
